The goal here is to ensure people remain medically ready and don't become walking VA disability claims while in active service.
I agree that this should be the goal.
But I don't think we support people in meeting that goal. Instead, we make it 100% up to the individual to accomplish, and when they struggle, or fail, we boot them. We test people in ways that don't provide real feedback.
If fitness was truly more than a force shaping tool we'd dedicate time and resources to ensure everyone would meet the standard- much like competitive sports teams do. Everyone would have nutrition and fitness programs, and would be given 8 hours a week of on duty time to ensure they meet their goals. A competitive sports team doesn't expect their athletes to do the work on their own.
At 42 years old I still keep up with D1 college and minor professional hockey players half my age on the ice. (Though these young kids seem to get a little faster every year). Yet high impact cardio, like running, exacerbates my lower back problems- and if I do it too much I go hard down for a few days. Running 1.5 miles, or x amount of shuttles in Y time, or pushups to situps or planks doesn't portray anything about my overall fitness.
Are there jobs in the military where fitness is very important? Absolutely. Are there jobs where fitness doesn't really matter at all? Absolutely. Are we trying to do a once size fits all solution to a problem that is plaguing society writ large, as well as the military by making it the problem of the individual? Absolutely.
Oh, and the USMC saying they don't have a problem with it as much as the rest of the services is because the USMC is the youngest service. It's easier to keep 18-24 year olds in shape than it is 30-40 (or beyond in the case of the Guard/Reserves) year olds.
